Armed robbers target jewellers

10:12pm Monday 7th April 2008

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ROBBERS armed with sledge hammers and an axe stole jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds during a daytime raid.

Police said three men wearing balaclavas smashed their way in to Riaz Jewellers, Whalley Range, Blackburn, at around 11.40am this morning.

Windows and glass display cases were smashed to pieces before the gang fled with handfuls of rings and necklaces into a waiting red Toyota Carina car.

The car was later found abandoned close to Beechwood Working Men's Club, Lower Phillips Road, Blackburn.

Eye witness Mustaqim Haji, 29, who runs The One Stop Pound Shop a few doors down from the jewellers, said: "I heard a bang outside and when I looked there were three masked men smashing the main window of the shop with a sledge hammer.

"One of them then smashed the door and went inside.

"I could see them smashing the counters with axes and sledge hammers.

"They were grabbing everything they could.

"One of them was stood in the doorway swinging a sledge hammer around so I backed off and rang the police."

Police said two people working in the shop at the time - a man and a woman - locked themselves in a room at the back of the property when they realised they were being raided.

No one was injured in the incident.

Det Insp Andy Hulme, of Blackburn CID, said: "The three robbers were Asian males and the victims are very shocked by what happened.

"A substantial amount of jewellery has been taken."

Mr Hulme said the Toyota Carina is thought to have done a U-turn in the middle of Whalley Range and sped off in the direction of Barbara Castle Way.

It is the third time in three years that the shop has been targeted by armed robbers.

In February last year a man armed with a knife and hammer attempted to rob the shop but was wrestled to the ground by a worker before being arrested by police.

And in January 2005, approximately £20,000 of jewellery was stolen during an armed raid.

Coun Sajid Ali, who represents Bastwell on Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the raid had come as a major shock to the community.

He said: "These kind of thing usually don't happen in this area and we don't know why it's going on at this particular shop.

"The police have done all they can in this case but events like this effect the confidence of businesses around here."

Local resident Fred Bowdler, Whalley New Road, was working nearby at the time of the raid when he heard a loud bang coming from the shop.

He said: "The whole thing is a worry because they drove off at high speed in a busy area, anyone could have been injured.

"The people who do this kind of thing are low-lifes. Anyone who can use an axe in a public place should be locked up."

Anyone with information relating to the raid can ring Blackburn Police on 0845 1253545 or Crimestoppers - anonymously and free on 0800 555111.